


i'll take a bruise, i know you're worth it

by awoogah123



Series: Red Means Go [1]
Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Age Difference, Boston Bruins, Fights, Fluff, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Minor Injuries, Pining, Protectiveness, ice hockey, teammates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:00:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29734239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awoogah123/pseuds/awoogah123
Summary: Craig was too far away to be able to seeproperly,but Stud had gone downhard,and if the way he was holding his shoulder was anything to go by, he was hurting.Craig wanted to make fuckingRafflhurt too.
Relationships: Craig Smith/Jack Studnicka
Series: Red Means Go [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2185512
Comments: 5
Kudos: 22





	i'll take a bruise, i know you're worth it

Craig dropped to the bench, chest heaving and sweat beading on his forehead, they were well into the second period but the game was tied. The Flyers were putting up a good fight, their defense was strong and their passes were neat, but the Bruins were strong too, _and_ neat.

Coyler sunk to the bench beside him, head thrown back as he gulped from his water bottle. He clapped Craig on the back,

“Great assist, Smitty.” Craig just smiled in response, his pass to Coyler had been enough to get them even with the Flyers, but they really needed another couple goals if they wanted an assured win.

Craig watched as Stud made his way over to the centre of the ice, ready to faceoff with Laughton. Jack was a good kid - a good team player on _and_ off the ice, Craig liked him.

The crowd roared as Stud won the faceoff and sent the puck flying across the rink, right onto JD’s stick. Craig’s eyes bounced back and forth across the rink as he watched his teammates pass the puck between them, not letting the Flyers anywhere _near_ it. His gaze landed on Stud, the way he glided across the ice, as if it was as natural to him as _breathing_ , the strength he had behind his hits. Craig tried to follow the puck but he couldn’t help but be drawn back to Jack.

And that was when he saw it happen.

Stud had the puck; racing up the ice, he dodged Laughton and kept the puck on the end of his stick. Bjorkie stood near the goal, open and waiting, it took just one hit for the puck to meet Bjorkie’s stick. Another to send the puck flying into the net.

And it took just a _second_ for Jack to get sent flying into the boards.

The check was illegal, that was for sure, Stud wasn’t even in possession of the puck anymore, _and_ it was a blindside hit. The crowd’s cheers quickly quietened as they watched Jack flop to the floor, body curled up as he slumped against the boards. Raffl stood over him, stick held up high and triumphant. Craig wanted to go and _snap_ that stick, _and_ Raffl whilst he was at it.

Craig hadn’t even _realised_ he’d jumped up from his seat, but he wasn’t alone - his teammates stood beside him, shouting, indignant and angry.

Bjorkie reached Stud first, dropping to the ice beside him, it took a moment, but Jack finally sat up. _Thank God._

By the time their trainer had arrived on the ice, Jack had taken his helmet off and was helped up by Bjorkie and Brando - he looked okay, apart from the way he held his right shoulder. Craig was too far away to be able to see _properly,_ but Stud had gone down _hard,_ and if the way he was holding his shoulder was anything to go by, he was hurting.

Craig wanted to make fucking _Raffl_ hurt too.

The players clacked their sticks against the ice as Jack made his way off the ice with the assistance of the team’s trainer. Craig couldn’t _quite_ put his finger on his emotions as he saw Stud make his way down the tunnel.

Craig didn’t see Jack during the intermission between second and third period, he didn’t even listen to Bergy’s speech, _couldn’t_. He had only one thought on his mind.

It was pure coincidence that Craig shared the same icetime as Raffl the second the game picked up, but Craig figured it was the hockey gods’s way of showing approval for what he was about to do.

Craig knew he was being a little too hard with his checks, a little too forceful with his hits, but right now he really didn’t care. He wanted one thing, and _why_ he wanted to stick up for Stud _so_ much, he wasn’t sure. Sure, Stud was a good kid, but the way Craig’s stomach roiled when he saw that hit, the way he only saw _red,_ wasn’t exactly normal.

“That was a cheap fucking hit,” Craig said when he’d sent the puck spiralling towards Ritchie. Raffl was in between Craig and the boards and it was taking a _fuck_ of a lot of effort not to just send Raffl crashing into them.

Raffl shrugged, just _shrugged._ Craig wasn’t entirely _sure_ how he wanted Raffl to react - an apology? - but a _shrug_ sure as hell wasn’t it. If possible, it only made him even _angrier._

“You hit him when’s got his back to you, yeah?” Craig pushed. “Fucking coward.”

Craig made to turn away but a hand on his arm stopped him.

“What the fuck do you want?” Raffl asked.

“Nothing,” Craig shrugged, his gaze dropped as he eyed Raffl up and down, “ _pussy._ ”

That was enough to piss Raffl off, his gloves went flying across the ice and it took Craig just a _moment_ to recognise the fist that was flying towards his face. Craig wasn’t scared of a fight, and he sure as fuck wasn’t going to back down now. This is what he had _wanted_ , this was for _Jack._

Granted, he didn’t want the five minute penalty that came hand-in-hand with instigating the fight, but he’d take another one if it meant he could give Raffl another bloody nose.

Thankfully Craig’s antics didn’t affect the team’s game, and the Bruins ended up winning 4-2. Craig kept to himself in the locker room - _yes,_ he’d been able to project some of his anger into his punches, but he still felt pissed. That feeling subsided a little when Stud made his way into the locker room, right arm supported in a sling.

Craig glanced sideways at Stud as he started to unlace his skates, Stud was in the middle of talking to Bergy, no doubt about his injury, but his gaze strayed to Craig. Craig turned away.

Craig felt rather than saw Stud sit down beside him, he fought the urge to whip around and face him.

“Hey, Smitty,” Stud said quietly. Craig looked up, meeting Jack’s gaze, his brown eyes warm and soft. Jack’s smile faltered a little, no doubt at the shiner that was slowly starting to develop around Craig’s left eye, “You’re hurt.”

“You should see the other guy,” Craig chuckled, kicking his skates off. Jack’s brows pulled together in a small frown and Craig tried to ignore the way it made him feel.

“Oh, I saw it,” Stud said, lightening up a little, the hint of a smile on his lips. “I wanted to say thank you.”

“What for?” Craig asked, quirking a brow. They were _teammates,_ that’s what they did, right? Looked out for one another.

“Just for going after that guy,” Stud shrugged. “Thanks.”

“It was a cheap hit,” Craig shrugged. “He deserved it.”

Stud murmured a response but made no attempt to move away, Craig couldn’t say he was disappointed - against his better judgement, he quite enjoyed the younger man’s company.

“So, what’s the deal?” Craig asked finally, knocking Jack’s injured arm lightly, careful not to do any more damage.

“Just a shoulder sprain,” Stud sighed, slumping down on the bench. “I’ll be out for at least the next week.”

“That sucks,” Craig huffed, and he suddenly felt a _lot_ happier about the punches he’d landed on Raffl - the fucker deserved them.

“Could be worse,” Stud said, shrugging with his _good_ shoulder. He stood up from the bench, “It’s a good job I’m young, eh?”

Craig smiled and nodded, because _he_ needed that reminder more than _anyone._ Jack was young, considerably younger than he was and Craig was seriously in _no_ place to look at his teammate like that - not that he was looking at his teammate like _anything._

“Seriously,” Stud said, pulling Craig from his thoughts, “thanks, Smitty.” He gave Craig’s shoulder a squeeze before heading over to his station and Craig _really_ tried not to focus on how his skin warmed under Jack’s touch.

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from Many of Horror by Biffy Clyro.  
>   
> Hey, I'm thinking of making this into a series - maybe a progression of Craig and Jack's relationship, I'm not really sure. I don't really know where I'm going with this but I love the Bruins ha.  
> If you enjoyed please leave kudos and comments<3


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